Background: Numerous studies have suggested that 54%-100% of patients with IBS may have associated psychiatric illness and
personality pathology. This transversal controlled study was realized in order to evaluate anxiety and depression levels, as well as
the personality characteristics of patients with IBS and to compare the results obtained with patients with episodes of depression and
healthy individuals.
Subjects and methods: The experimental group consisted of 30 IBS patients, while two control groups consisted of the same
number of inpatients with episodes of depression and healthy individuals from the general population. There were equal number of
men and women in the study sample and all subjects were aged between 25 to 65 years. Standard psychometric instruments
employed included Hamilton anxiety scale, Zung depression scale, Hamilton depression scale, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI), Eysenck Perosonality Inventory (EPI).
Results: The average Hamilton and Zung depression scores were significantly higher in patients with depressive episodes
compared with the IBS patients, while the mentioned scores among them were also significantly higher compared with the healthy
controls. There were no significant differences between IBS and the group with depressive episodes in the average Hamilton anxiety
levels, EPI neuroticism and extraversion levels and MMPI neurotic scales levels (Hs, D, and Hy). The significant differences were
observed comparing the IBS patients to healthy individuals.
Conclusion: The patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome who asked for medical help (consulters) because of their
intestinal symptoms, presented emotional problems such as depression and anxiety and expressed neurotic personality
characteristics